Fowler writes about Hardy

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The most interesting NFL teams always have a few characters – players who cheerfully break the mold and embrace the microphone. The Carolina Panthers have had their share over the years – Willie Green, Lamar Lathon, Kevin Greene and Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, to name a few.

Defensive end Greg Hardy, however, may vie for the title of biggest character in Panthers' history before it's over. He is working hard at it already, outlandishly predicting 50 sacks for himself this season (the NFL record is 22.5) and nicknaming members of the defensive line as various species of monsters.

You get the feeling that Hardy would be OK being the Dennis Rodman of the 2013 Panthers, although for now his hair remains its original color. In a league where most player interviews could be described as gray, Hardy is a vibrant coat of many colors. He is also really, really confident.

Hardy has long called himself the “Kraken,” but has added names for Charles “The Loch Ness Monster” Johnson, Kawaan “Minotaur” Short, Star “Hydra” Lotulelei and Dwan “Phoenix” Edwards (because Edwards keeps “rising” out of the ashes to resurrect his NFL career, Hardy said).

How does he come up with these names?

“I am really talented,” Hardy said.

Hardy has had maturity issues. That's the primary reason a first-round talent like him lasted until the sixth round in the 2010 draft. In 2011, he showed up at training camp with bandages everywhere from a motorcycle wreck and missed much of the preseason.

“I thought I was going to be dead,” Hardy once said of that wreck. In 2012, he posted a picture on Twitter that appeared to show him driving in excess of 100 miles an hour. Coach Ron Rivera and other members of the staff have pulled Hardy aside and given him the “You've got to be careful” talk several times.

But Hardy has stayed out of trouble recently and looks to be in great shape. Hardy said he ended the 2012 training camp around 305 pounds – “it was nice looking,” he quickly added, speaking of the extra weight – but now weighs closer to 280.

Hardy ran six miles a day during a lot of the offseason, he said. “I feel like it's paying off,” he said. “I have the mobility and the agility I didn't have last year. ... I'm hoping to end camp around 275 pounds, just so I can get off that edge against these big left tackles.”

And, just in case you missed it the first time, Hardy has one last thought to reiterate about the defensive line this season.

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When I watch Star highlights its like, see ball, find ball, hit ball, get up, next play. There is so little wasted effort by this kid. He is so efficient. He doesn't get all rah-rah it's let me do what I do best and that's get the ball carrier on the ground in a mean way. That vid was sick tho.